


The Charmed Life

by Darkangel1214



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-04 22:26:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/715778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkangel1214/pseuds/Darkangel1214
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An arrow wielding assailant is discovered living in the Storybrooke Library. David tries to help and is met with another "friend" of his brother James as she tries to kill him. The bigger surprise is, when he meets her son.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ch 1

-The Enchanted Forest-

She barely made it to the cover of the forest before collapsing on the ground. She had used all her energy to climb down the beanstalk. Had she stayed the Giant would surely have killed her, not that she wasn't dying now anyway, but at least she'd die on her own terms. She crawled along the forest floor and flipped herself over to stare upwards, the sky was beginning to dim turning red to orange as the sun set. If this was her end at least she'd see something beautiful before it was over.

"It is a beauty" she heard a gleefully high pitched voice say right next to her. She turned her head slightly to see what looked like a man with a golden sheen on his face lying on his back next to her. Was she that far gone already? She didn't even hear him arrive. The man rolled over and stood over her. "You on the other hand my dear, look like death" he told her as his head tilted from side to side. "I can change that" he said almost dancing around her.

"You can save me?" Jack asked hoarsely, watching as he bounced on the balls of his feet.

His smile widened. "Not for free, of course. Magic always comes with a price!" he replied wagging his finger. "You have something I want, Jack"

"How do you know my name?" she asked as she cried out in pain. She did not remember giving her name but as it was she was starting to see two of him so maybe she had. She tried to concentrate on the Imp as he danced around the forest.

"I know everything" he told her. "You were given something by traveling merchant when you were young. Something that allowed you to travel to different worlds" He told her as he kneeled down beside her. "Magic beans!" he said gleefully.

Jack looked at him, the darkness coiled around him like a snake. Whoever he was, he wasn't one of the good guys. "I don't have any… I used them" she replied keeping her eyes locked on to his.

The golden man's eyes bored into hers as if studying her. She kept her gaze steady and saw the anger as it flashed across his face. He appeared to swallow it and stood up. "That's too bad. I guess we don't have a deal then. Ta Ta." he said with a bow and started skipping away.

"Wait, there has to be something else you want" she screamed out at his back. She didn't want to die, not like this.

Rumpelstiltskin stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes. He opened them and turned around to smile at her. "There may be something else you can give me" he said walking back to her. "The child growing inside of you"

"What?" Jack asked in shock. "I'm not…I don't…"

"You are dearie" He replied. "I will save your life for the child" he said to her.

Jack used all her strength to touch her stomach. She was with child, the Prince's child. She didn't have time to think about what it meant as the pain wrecked through her body again. She felt like her insides were on fire. She wanted to live more anything else.

"I do not have all day and both of you are fading fast" Rumpelstiltskin said dancing on his toes.

She made her decision she didn't want to die. "Fine" Jack croaked out.

He smiled wide. "We have a deal?"

"Yes" Jack replied. He stood over her and she finally turned her eyes from his. And just like that the pain was gone. She looked around, and then she sat up. She had never felt better, she even felt stronger than she had before.

"Remember dearie" He told her his voice coming out lower. "When the child is born, it's mine" Jack shook her head in understanding and the imp disappeared.

-Storybrooke-

Ruby was walking down the street and saw the Library. She sighed; Belle would be in there if she hadn't lost her memory. She walked closer to the library when she picked up a scent. She sniffed the air; there were people in the library. She knew it wasn't Belle because she had just come from visiting her and Rumblestliskin was still in New York with Emma and Henry. So no one else should be in there. She was debating what she should do. Should she go in there and confront them or go and get the Prince. She decided on the later, she didn't know who was in there and what they were capable of.

A few minutes later, David slowly opened the door of the library. "Hello?" David called out while he held his gun in front of him. He wished he had his sword, he felt more comfortable with it then this piece of metal. Red followed in behind him sniffing the air for their whereabouts. She pointed in the direction of their scents.

Red then glanced at the table where a bunch of books were laid out and open. She walked over and flipped the first over to see the cover The Brothers Grimm Fairytales it said. The others were books on fairytales as well. David held up two fingers asking her if she was sure it was only two. She nodded her head yes.

"Hello?" he called out again. "We just want to know who you are and why you are here. We don't want to hurt anyone" he said holding his gun to the side and holding his other hand in the air.

Suddenly an arrow flew through the air knocking his gun to floor. David looked around alarmed. He took a deep breath to calm his beating heart and continued to hold up his hands. "We just want to talk, we don't want to hurt you"

"Now you don't want to hurt me when before you were just fine with leaving me to die" a raspy female voice said as she emerged from the shadows.

Red sighed with a little bit of relief. From the way she was dressed in a leather bodice and breeches she was from their world and not another stranger that stumbled across the line. However the relief was short lived because she held a bow with an arrow pointed right at the Prince and a face full of malice.

"I have nothing to say to you Prince, except that I have wished for you death many times" the dark haired woman said to him as she drew her bow.

David looked at the woman; he's never seen her in his life, which meant that it was another person his brother had made an enemy of. First the giant and now this woman. How many people had his brother hurt. "I am not James" David said to her. "He was my twin brother that I never met." He paused to let that sink in. "My name is David and I am truly sorry for whatever harm my brother has caused you"

"You're not James?" she asked as she walked closer to them.

David squinted as she neared, he didn't notice it when she was in the shadows, her face was an ashen color and her hair was matted to her face, she looked ill.

"What is your name, my lady" David asked her hoping she would lower the bow. She looked sickly but she had knocked the gun from his hand earlier so her aim was still spot on.

"Robin" she said as she lowered the bow. "Robin Hood"

Red and the Prince looked at each other after she told them her name. Red smiled, Robin Hood was a woman, she liked that. Red and David looked back at the woman and it was like all the energy had just suddenly left her body, she slummed to the floor. David made to run for her, he stopped when he saw a young boy no older than ten run to her first.

"Mother" the boy screamed and kneeled at her side.

David sucked in his breath as he looked at the blue eyed boy with a mop of brown hair; it was like he was looking at an image of himself at that age. And he knew he was staring at his brother's son.

The boy stood and pulled a sword from his scabbard and aimed it towards them. "Stay away from her!" he screamed as he swung the sword around as one who was trained to use it.

"We don't want to hurt you, we want to help" David told his nephew and held his hands in the air. They were family, he needed to help them.

"We have a doctor we can take your mother too" Red said to him holding her hands in the air as well. She didn't know why the Prince looked as if he'd seen a ghost. But these two were from their world and the woman looked like she was in serious need of medical attention. The boy lowered his sword. David went to Robin Hood and scooped her into his arms.

Tbc...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a good thing they don't celebrate Thanksgiving, as The Charming Family tree is going to get a lot more complicated when more family members arrive in Storybrooke

Ch 2

-Sherwood Forest-

The forest was still and quiet, a two horse carriage rumbled along the dirt road. The lone driver whistled to himself. Suddenly he heard a soft whispering sound go right past him and something landed in the trees. His horses took off running as he looked at the severed reins in his hands.

Another arrow flew through the open window of the carriage this one had a rope attached to it and when it found its target in the tree across. The rope went taut lifting the carriage into the air.

The driver leapt off the carriage as that happened and rolled as he hit the ground hard. He moved to get up and first felt the cold metal on his neck before his eyes followed the sword held by a bear of a man dressed in a black hood. He looked around as many hooded men on horseback trotted up alongside the floating carriage.

He looked up and saw someone leap from the trees and land softly on top of the carriage. This person is dressed in green leather with a quiver of arrows on his back with the bow slung around the shoulders, dark brown breeches and green tights with a hood covering the face. The green hood turned to look at him the face is cloaked in shadow.

This was the famed Robin Hood and his merry men. He tried to warn his boss that going this way was dangerous, but the man insisted that he was in hurry and this was the fastest way. He could not argue anymore and took the man and his wife down the empty road. And now he watched helplessly as the thief slipped inside the suspended carriage. Another hooded man jumped on top of the carriage and followed Robin Hood inside.

The finely dressed man and his wife's screams are cut short when a knife is held to their throats. "Don't scream and you'll live" said Robin Hood in a raspy voice. Then he and his partner proceeded to rip the jewels off his wife's neck and the gold cuff links from his wrists and threw them into the bags on their shoulders. The man tried to hide a box under his seat but the green hooded man found it and swiped it from him. Robin Hood placed it on the seat and used the back of his knife to break the lock then dumped the gold coins into the bag.

Then they jumped out of the window and landed on the ground. The driver was still held by the end of a sword as the carriage was slowly lowered back to the ground. Robin Hood jumped on his horse. He held the reins and trotted over to the driver. He pulled out two gold coins and dropped them on top of him. "For your services my good man" the raspy voice said to him. He whistled and the rest of the men mounted their horses and as quickly as they appeared, they were gone.

Robin Hood sat that back of the table in the tavern sipping her ale and watching her men drink and dance around. She smiled as the bar maidens were gladly helping them to more ale and laughing at their jokes and sitting in their laps since they were drunkenly throwing their money around. She was happy for them, had things been different she would've gladly joined in on their fun. However she had far to many important things that needed to be done first. She looked towards the door and saw him standing there. She nodded and he left. She downed the rest of her ale and stood up. Her men were far too busy to notice her leaving.

She dismounted her horse. She led Bo to the water trough and tied him to the post. He shook his mane and grunted at her. She smiled and took a carrot from her bag and gave it to him. She patted his hide and opened the doors to the church. She walked down the aisle and knocked the code on the door on the far left. A small old woman opened the door. She smiled her toothless smile when she saw who it was.

Robin entered the small room; she took her hood off and let her auburn hair cascade down her shoulders. The woman left the room. And she saw him standing by his broken desk in his ramshackle of a room staring at her. She walked over to him and handed him the satchel.

The Friar stared at it timidly. "I should not be doing this. It is not right" he told her.

"And the King should not be taxing us so high" she replied. "Take it" she grabbed his arm and put the satchel of coins in his hand. "There is more than enough for all of us and you are doing me a great service"

Another door squeaked as it opened. A little boy waddled into the room and a smile spread across her face as she knelt to the ground "Mama" the boy squealed with delight as he ran into her arms.

-Storybrooke-

David ran into the hospital with the woman in his arms with Red and her son following him. He ran into one of the rooms and laid her on the bed.

Red followed Dr. Whale's scent and found him eating in the lounge. "Dr. Whale, we need your help" she told him. Viktor wiped his mouth and threw the napkin on his plate and followed Red out of the lounge. He walked into the room to see a dark haired woman dressed in green leather lying on the bed. "Who is this?" he asked.

"Robin Hood" David replied.

Viktor nodded. "Robin Hood, right" he said and walked over to her. "What happened to her?" he asked. Her skin was colorless, so he felt her forehead which was burning up. He picked up her arm and let go, it flopped back down. She was unresponsive.

"That's what I'm hoping you can tell us. She was talking then she just collapsed." David told him.

"Did she look like this?" Viktor asked as he grabbed a syringe to draw her blood. He looked and saw a boy peeking around the door. He looked at David and Red.

"That's her son" Red replied. Viktor stared at her, telling her without words to take him somewhere else. Red turned to the boy. "My name's Red" she told him. "What's your name?"

"Will" the boy replied strongly.

"Will, nice to meet you" she said holding out her hand to him, he shook it. "Are you hungry?" she asked him. "They have…food here" she said stopping herself. The cafeteria's food was not that great. She'd call Granny and have her bring something here that was more edible for him. She placed her hand on his back gently and led him from the room and to the waiting area. She sat down on a chair and Will sat down next to her

Viktor looked at the blood slide through the microscope, he felt David hovering over him. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" he asked impatiently.

"I have to run some more tests, but from what I can tell, she's been poisoned"

"Poisoned? With what?" David asked looking worriedly at the woman, then back at him.

Viktor held his tongue and let out a breath and just said. "That's why I have to run more tests" He told him. "I can put her on a ventilator to keep her alive for now"

Snow White walked into the hospital with bag of food. She found Red sitting in the waiting area with a young boy. "Granny told me to deliver this to you" she said as she went over to them and handed the bag to her.

"Thank you" Red said to her and put the bag on the table, reached in and took out the containers.

"Who is this?" Snow asked smiling at the boy when Red didn't appear to be introducing them.

"This is Will" Red replied. The boy hadn't said a word since they sat down but he was fascinated by the television when she turned it on for him. And now he was watching some cartoon she didn't remember the name of. They didn't have tv in their world so it probably was amazing to see it for the first time. She turned back to Snow. "The Prince is with his mother, they are in room 315"

"David" Snow said as knocked lightly on the door.

"Snow" he said smiling at her. She walked over to him and hugged him. She looked at the woman lying in the bed. She looked up at her husband.

"That's Robin Hood" David told her. "Her son is with Red…he's James' son."

"Your brother?" Snow asked knowing the answer to that. She put her hand over her mouth as she looked out the door. First Rumpelstiltskin's son is Henry's father and now a nephew, how many more family members did they have?

"Conium" Dr. Whale said when entered the room. "That's what she was poisoned with" he walked over to his patient. "It results in paralysis. It takes out the muscles first and then shuts down the respiratory system. I don't know how she's still alive with the amount I found in her system."

"The curse" Snow piped up. David's eye brows rose in her direction. "Time stopped for the people left in our world too" she told them.

"That could explain it. The poison was frozen in her system, until the curse broke. But that was awhile ago" Viktor said thinking out loud.

"She must've had something that kept her alive" David said staring sadly at her. "Is there an antidote or something?" he asked turning towards Dr. Whale. He promised the boy in the car that they'd save his mother. So they needed to that.

"There is no antidote" Viktor told them. "I can try to clean out her system and pump her stomach but those are things you do right after ingestion. And this happened to her twenty seven years ago so I have no idea if it will work"

"Do what you have to do" David told him. Then he and Snow walked out of the room. David rubbed his face and ran his hands through his hair.

"So that's Robin Hood in there and we have a nephew that's our grandson's age" Snow said to him.

David let out a little laugh and looked at his wife. "A messed up family, I guess that makes us even more part of this world."

They both looked up when they heard footsteps thundering towards them. "Tiny, Grumpy, what's the matter?" David asked.

"Regina and Cora. We saw them wandering around the town like they were searching for something." Tiny told them breathlessly.

"I don't know about her mother, but if the Queen is looking for something it's not good"

"Cora's ten times worse than Regina" Snow informed them. "If they are working together, we're in trouble"

"What is she doing here!" Tiny suddenly shouted and charged towards her room. David and Snow ran to stop him.

"You know Robin Hood?" David asked a little surprised.

"Robin Hood? I don't know any Robin Hood" Tiny told them feeling the anger flow through his veins. He thought she had died like Arlo had. But when he came back from burying his brothers she was gone. And now here she was. "I know her" he said pointing to the woman. "Jack the Giant killer"

Tbc…


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a good thing they don't celebrate Thanksgiving, as The Charming Family tree is going to get a lot more complicated when more family members arrive in Storybrooke.

Ch 3

-Sherwood Forest-

The heavily decorated carriage moved along the road getting closer by the minute. Her men were unsure about attacking the King's carriage, and maybe her boldness would cost her, however he had always been her target. Stealing directly from King Richard was a bigger insult than anything they had done so far.

The carriage neared the fallen tree; the horses whinnied as the carriage slowed to a stop. The two drivers and the Kings men that were riding in another carriage behind them disembarked and went to investigate. One of them told the King to stay inside and drew out his sword, the others followed suit and surveyed the forest.

Robin Hood and the merry men grinned from the trees, they all drew their bows back, counted to three and fired their warning shots. The arrows landed in front of the feet of all armed men. The knights jumped back from almost having their feet impaled, taking advantage of their momentary shock Robin Hood and her Merry Men swung down from the trees kicking their feet into their chests.

The knights recovered and the fight began, it was metal clashing against wood. What the knights did not know was the bows with Robin's men were made from enchanted wood and were unbreakable. Her men fought against the onslaught of knights, hopping away from their swings with wide grins and then slamming their bows into their faces. The men that had been waiting in the forest walked out and went to the carriage to steal whatever gold or jewels the King brought with him on this journey.

Robin swung her bow upwards striking the knight underneath his chin, his head snapped backwards and she kicked her foot into his chest and he hit the ground with a loud thud. She turned and brought her bow into the gut of the knight that was charging at her and kicked him the back and pushed him to the ground. She was grinning as well.

The King exited the carriage demanding a sword. Never denying the King anything, his knights obliged. Robin laughed as the rotund King almost tripped over his clock trying to wield his sword. He had once been a great warrior, a legend among men. He had usurped the former King and took the throne. But now he was nothing but an overweight glutton.

Robin would not miss this chance to battle the great warrior King. She stepped in front of him and let him take a few swings; they were low and slow, so she just danced around him. She was disappointed; this man would've once been a worthy opponent, now he was just pathetic. So when the King raised his sword high above his head sluggishly in a move Robin could only assume was meant to be a killing blow. But at the speed he was moving anyone could've killed him three times already. She swung her arm back then forward and hit him right in the stomach with the tip of her bow. He dropped the sword behind him as he grunted and fell to his knees. She shook her head and looked at him as he struggled to breathe.

She had met many royals in many different lands in her travels and they were all the same, power hungry, greedy cowards that cared of nothing but themselves. His kingdom was starving and he was continuing to raise the taxes so he could stuff his fat face even more. So she decided she would take from this gluttonous King and his wealthy congregation and give it to the people that needed it more.

The ground began to rumble, they looked up and saw a dust storm approaching and heard the clapping of many hoofs. Robin swore under her breath, they were prepared for an attack, he had more men waiting. Now it was the Kings men that were smiling.

Then they heard a high pitched scream. Robin turned to look and saw that one of her men coincidentally named Jack, had taken a woman that was struggling to fight back against him. The Princess! Robin's eyes widened in shock, she had not thought the King would bring his daughter down such a dangerous road. He never did before. Her plan was falling apart at its seams and she didn't want this. She breathed out quickly she couldn't afford to look like she had lost control of her men, so she kept her face hidden underneath her hood and stood her ground.

The army of knights was getting closer and she could see they were even more than she had guessed. She knew when it was time to fight and when it was time to fly. They had got what they came for and they had no choice but to take the Princess with them. Robin stuck her index finger and thumb in her mouth and whistled loudly. Bo came bounding out of forest as he ran past she hopped on his back and rode away with her men following.

The men in the back turned just as the army was nearing the carriage. They stopped and turned their horses to face them and took out an arrow, rubbed against the slate in their other hand igniting the tip, they readied the arrow, pulled back and let the arrows fly.

When the arrows struck the fallen tree a wall of flames erupted from the oil they had soaked the tree in earlier. The knights were stuck behind it. Her men continued the ride cheering and yelling.

She woke to the smell and sounds of meat cooking, she opened her eyes lazily not remembering where she was. The back of her head hurt for some reason. She looked down to see she was some kind of ratty blanket. She looked around and saw trees, lots and lots of trees she was in the forest, she had never slept outside before. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. When she could focus she saw a fire with a pheasant roasting on a spit. She was starving forgetting the last time she ate something. A woman with reddish brown hair walked out of the forest and to the fire she threw more logs down and used a stick to make the flames lick the roasting bird to char it.

Everything was gradually coming back to her. She was with her father in the carriage they were going to meet one of her suitors then the carriage suddenly stopped and they were attacked by Robin Hood and his merry men, she supposed they got that name because they were always smiling. One of them grabbed her and she tried to free herself but he was too strong.

She focused on the woman again; she was dressed in green breeches and green leather bodice. The woman turned to look at her and that's when she noticed the green hood.

"You're a woman!" the Princess proclaimed incredulously.

Robin Hood turned to face her. "That I am" she told her as she ripped a leg off the bird, put it on a plate and walked over to the Princess and handed it to her.

"They think you are a man" she said taking the plate, eyeing her cautiously. She had seen her fight, she fought like a man.

"What they think does not concern me. Princess Marion" Robin Hood replied and went back to the fire to get her food.

-Storybrooke-

David tried to comfort his wife when they arrived back at the hospital. Earlier he had to stop Tiny from doing anything to Jack. He told him that Jack was dying and Dr. Whale didn't think he could do anything to save her. Then he pointed to Will telling him that little boy was her son and all he knows is that he is losing her mother. Tiny looked at Will then nodded his head in understanding. He told him to keep watch on the beanstalk and make sure Cora and Regina didn't find it.

Now they were back here again. He placed his hand on his wife's shoulder. He wasn't going to bring up her saying she wanted to kill Cora because he was hoping she only said that out of anger and mourning. She was trying to save her friend no one would fault her for that. However she was right in saying that Cora's much worse than Regina.

"Cora and Regina have the dagger" Grumpy said gruffly. David shut the door of Jack's or Robin's or whatever her name was room, they had gathered here with the dwarfs to discuss what they planned on doing. The curse was broken, they knew who they were but it seemed as if their problems were far greater now.

"They needed to be stopped" he told them but he didn't know how. He also didn't know how to tell Emma that they lost the dagger and they'd have to deal with the wrath of the Dark One on top of wondering what Cora and Regina planned on having him do to them.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Grumpy asked irritably. "They have the dagger; they have control of the Dark One. And we have…let me think about it for a moment…that's right, nothing"

Snow opened the door slamming it closed from the outside. David glared at Grumpy and followed his wife. "Snow!" He called out to her retreating back. She stopped and he ran up to her. "No one blames you" he told her softly.

"It is my fault" Snow White told her husband. "Even Johana told me not to let them have the dagger…but I couldn't let them hurt her. I couldn't risk her life for maybe saving the lives of others" she said as the tears welled up in her eyes again. "And in the end it didn't even matter" She said as she fell into her husband's arms.

"Mom?" they heard from behind them. Snow pulled away from David and turned around to see Henry standing there with Emma and a man she didn't recognize holding up an unconscious Rumpelstiltskin between them.

"Emma?" she asked worriedly as she looked at her daughter covered in blood.

"It's not mine" Emma made sure to point out seeing the concern in her mother's eyes. "Hook had poison on his…hook" she told them as she and Neal dragged him to an empty room and Neal lifted him onto the bed.

"Poison, again. That seems to be the weapon of choice" Grumpy said joining them.

"What? Who else is poisoned?" Emma asked watching Neal wipe his father's forehead with a damp cloth then turned to her parents and Grumpy. Happy went to go find Dr. Frankenstein.

"Robin Hood" Grumpy answered.

"Robin Hood? Robin Hood is here too!" Henry said excitedly.

"Yep, she also happens to be Jack the Giant Killer" Grumpy told him stoically.

"Robin Hood's a woman?" Emma asked somewhat surprised. "Who knew fairy tale writers were misogynists" She said mostly to herself. "So someone poisoned Robin Hood too? Was it Hook?"

"I don't know. All we found out was she stowed away on Hook's ship from our world. Then she didn't get to say much else before she went into a coma" David told his daughter.

Viktor entered the room and took one look at his new patient, turned around and left the room. "Hey!" Emma shouted after him. "Where are you going?"

"You expect me to help that…thing?" Viktor asked her. Emma looked at him than at Rumpelstiltskin. "I've made monster's before, but that is pure evil and if it's going to die I think we'd be better off if we let it" He told them.

"He's my father" Neal said angrily from Rumpelstiltskin's bedside.

Viktor looked at the scruffy man. "Then I am terribly sorry about that" he told him and started to walk away again. David stepped in front of him blocking his path. "You can't order me to do anything; I told you once before you are not my Prince"

"You're a doctor, you took a vow to help people" David told him.

"Keyword being people" Viktor sneered at him. Then the entire Charming family stood in front of him and stared at him. "Really?" he asked them. "If this is the way you are, you must be incredibly lucky to still be alive" he then turned and walked over to Rumpelstiltskin.

He watched as they all left the room and closed the door. He heard them talking so he knew they were just outside the door and would stop him if he tried to leave. He supposed he could go through the window, but he did have other patients here he was trying to help.

Emma noticed as Neal looked back at the door as it shut. "Don't worry, he's in good hands with Dr. Frankenstein" she told him with a small smile.

"Wait? What? That's Dr. Frankenstein?" Neal asked in distress.

"Well he's the only Dr. I know that has experience working on monsters" Emma said then remembering who Rumpelstiltskin was to him. "Sorry…I…"

"Its fine, that thing in there is not my father. The darkness took hold of him and changed him" Neal said with a sigh. Emma breathed out unsure of what she should do. She wanted to comfort him but she was still angry at him and confused about her feelings for him and he had a fiancé. So she sighed along with him then turned to see her parents staring at her.

"Right!" She said. "This is Neal…or Baelfire?" she said looking at him.

"Neal" he said holding out his hand to them. David looked at his hand, then back at his face. Finally he gripped his hand and shook it tightly and locked his eyes on to his.

Emma looked from Neal to her parents. "So Robin Hood was poisoned?" She asked to break the awkwardness and talk about something other than her and Neal.

"Sorry" Red said. "He wants to see his mother and I don't know what to do" She told them as she walked up to them with Will holding on to her hand.

Snow nodded. "Of course" she said smiling down at the boy. "I'm sure it will cheer your mother up knowing you are there by her side" Snow then looked at David. This was his nephew so it was his call.

David smiled at the boy and held out his hand. "It couldn't hurt" he said to Snow and walked inside Robin's room.

"Robin Hood has a son?" Henry asked, happy to see someone else that was his age.

"He's also your cousin" Snow told them rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.

"Cousin?" Emma asked to make sure she heard correctly.

"Yes, Will is your father's twin brother's son" Snow said smiling slightly at how messed up their family was.

"My father has a twin brother?" Emma asked.

"Had" Snow told her. "He died in a battle a long time ago" there was much more to that story, like David taking his brother's place as King. But those were stories for another day.

"Are we related to every fairy tale character?" Emma asked. First she didn't have any family and now she had more than she could handle.

"Seems that way" Snow replied with a shrug.

-Sherwood Forest-

Marion looked around. "Where are your men?" she asked noticing for the first time that it was just the two of them.

"I sent them home to enjoy their riches" Robin replied ripping off a piece of meat with her teeth.

"What are you going do with me?" Marion asked coming to the conclusion that she would not be getting any utensils to eat her food with. She was starving, so she would have to eat like a barbarian if she intended to eat.

"I'm taking you home" Robin replied. She told her men that they could not have the maiden, that's not what they did. They took from the rich and gave to the poor and the poor had no need for a princess.

"That's it; you are just going to take me home?" Marion asked surprised. "My father will surely pay a heavy ransom for my safe return"

Robin studied the Princess, surprised how well she was handling herself. She had heard she was like any other spoiled royal, but she sat there like she was trying to show there was more to her even when she as trying to daintily eat pheasant with her teeth. "I like to take things not be given them." Robin told her. "And prisoners are more trouble than they are worth"

"How so?" Marion asked.

"You don't have to feed gold coins" Robin replied with a smirk.

Marion nodded her head and chews her food. She was still coming to terms that Robin Hood was a woman, a beautiful woman with blue-green eyes, flawless pale skin and hair the color of copper. Her father had always told her a woman's place was in the castle in pretty dresses not outside fighting was, that was for the men. Robin Hood didn't seem to follow that rule; she was out here leading men. Marion looked up startled as the ground shook beneath her and the largest man she had ever seen came rushing through the forest on his beast of a horse.

"Little John, what is it?" Robin Hood asked bounding to her feet. She had no need to hide her face from him, he was her most trusted confidant.

"Little John!" Marion exclaimed in surprise, there was nothing little about that man. He looked more bear than man.

"It's the church, Robin" he began saying trying to catch his breath. "They're ransacking the church"

Marion saw Robin stumble backwards with fear in her eyes; her horse somehow sensing he was needed ran to her side. She threw herself on his back and rode off into the woods.

Tbc…


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An arrow wielding assailant is discovered living in the Storybrooke Library. David tries to help and is met with another "friend" of his brother James as she tries to kill him. The bigger surprise is, when he meets her son.

-Storybrooke-

Emma Swan ran her fingers through her hair and took deep breaths. This had been an eventful few days. She walked past the room again and looked inside. The boy…her cousin was still sitting by his mother's bed holding her hand. Her parents and Ruby were also pacing in the hallway, unsure of what to do to. Henry had gone with Neal to get food for all of them.

Every kid wished their life was a fairytale, every orphan dreamed for a family and she got both. Her parents were Snow White and Prince Charming, the evil Queen was her step-grandmother, her son was grandson of Rumpelstiltskin , and now her cousin is the son of Robin Hood. Her uncle sounded like a real jackass though. She supposed every family had one.

If Dr. Frankenstein couldn't save her then what were they going to do with the kid? She knew Henry was thrilled to have a family member that was his age, but their house was cramped enough if as it is.

She turned her head when her mother put her hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure something out. We always do" Snow White said to her daughter.

-Sherwood Forest-

She rode through the forest as fast as the wind would carry them, she did not look back there was only one thought on her mind. When she arrived she jumped off her horse while he rode on barreling into the Knight in front of them. She landed on the ground, tucked and rolled removing her sword from its scabbard as she stood up. With two hands strongly gripping the hilt she swung her sword deftly at the Knight that charged her. Robin Hood normally used a bow. But a bow would be of no use for her in this battle. The sword easily sliced through him, she didn't even look down and moved onto the next.

She had channeled her rage into an eerie calmness; each opponent was nothing but a moving target. Her mind registered them as if time had slowed down.

One the Knights sliced low with his sword, she jumped back and twisted her body to the side so he got nothing but air. One advantage of being a woman was she was quicker on her feet. She angled her swing upwards and kicked him backwards to enter the church.

The church was ravaged and gutted; the pews looked like nothing but planks of wood, all the clothes had been turned to ashes. She saw them filling up their bags with coins from the donation box in front of her. She looked up to see them struggling to remove the cross from the alter. She ran in with a battle cry holding her sword in front of her.

Marion watched as Robin Hood jumped on her horse and fled. She had no idea what was going on. Then strong arms lifted her off the ground as if she weighed nothing and she was placed on the back of a horse. She had no choice but to put her arms around the waist of the large man named Little John as he followed his leader into the forest.

When they arrived she sucked her breath in at the scene in front of her. Bodies lay still on the ground, some in armor and others in cloaks. Gold coins and small treasures littered the streets. And Robin Hood was cutting down her father's men like they a minor annoyance. She knew how to sword fight as well. Her father had always told her a sword is only a man's weapon. Her father must've never seen her then because to her the sword just looked like an extension of her arm.

The large man jumped from his horse and joined her in the fight. Marion was again surprised how quickly he moved for such a large man.

When they both disappeared inside the church, she slid of the horse and slowly made her way to the broken down doorway. She peeked inside and saw more Knights scattered on the floor.

Robin ran through the church and sucked in her breath when she saw the toothless old woman widow Boggs lying lifeless on the floor. She knelt down and placed her hand over her face and closed the old woman's eyes. She stood and went on.

She ran to him when she saw lying there. "Friar Tuck" she called out his name as she laid her hand on his chest. He was still breathing. He opened his eyes weakly and stared at her. He used whatever strength he had to point in back of him. She looked at him as her breath caught in her throat.

She ran to where he showed her, she leaned against the wardrobe and pushed aside, she dropped to the ground and felt around the boards until she found the loose one and lifted up in air. She let out a little cry when she looked inside.

Marion and Little John had joined Robin in the small room. He ran to the Friar while she watched small hands reach out of the hole in the floor and Robin lifted a small boy no more than six into her arms. "You're a mother?" Marion shouted in surprise.

Robin barely lifted her eyes at the princess as she held her son in her arms. Everything she'd done was to keep him safe. She made a deal with the devil and it would've cost her had she not run.

-Enchanted Forest-

She held her swollen belly as she kneeled slowly to ground. She had chosen this place because everything around it was dead, nothing could grow here so no one would ever look here. She began to dig in the dry dirt with her hands. She had to stop when she felt the fluttering kicks in her belly. She held her hand over her stomach and smiled. She hadn't thought much about being a mother; she was far too busy going adventures. And when she found out she was pregnant it wasn't under the best of circumstances. At the time she was only thinking about herself, her survival. But as the months passed with the child growing and moving inside her she knew she could never give her child to that monster.

When she hit something solid, she wiped the dirt away. She looked around to make sure she was alone and pulled out small wooden box. She quickly slips it into the bag on her shoulder. She fills the hole back in with dirt.

When she arrived back home, she locked her door and went over to the table. She opens the box; inside it was a green cloth bag. She pulled the string to open it and poured the contents into her palm.

He had asked her if she any magic beans. She knew he'd be able to tell if she lied, so she didn't. She told them she didn't have any, that she used them, which was true. She didn't have any on her and she did use them. However she never said she used all of them.

-Sherwood Forest-

Robin stood up, with Will holding her hand and walked back over to Friar Tuck. She knelt beside him. He looked up at her.

"They took them" he said hoarsely. "The children! He took them as payment" he said barely above a whisper.

Robin felt the anger flow through her body. "I will get them back" she told they dying man. He was fading fast. She looked down at her cloak, and then reached inside into a hidden compartment. She pulled a small bag and looked inside. She was saving it for herself if she ever ran into the imp again and needed it. But this place needed him more. She looked back at him as his eyes slowly closed. She reached over and opened his mouth and put the small mushroom in his mouth and held it closed.

A bright blue light started in his mouth then spread across his whole body, when the light went out he opened his eyes.

His eyes darted around wildly as she helped him up. Then he jumped away from her. "What is this? What did you do me?" he asked with her with fear in his eyes, inspecting the wound that was no longer there.

"I saved you" she told him.

"How?" He asked nervously, afraid of what she had done.

"Magic" she replied.

"You're a …sorceress?" he asked backing away from her.

"Me? No" she told him trying to get him to calm down. "It's a mushroom" she said to him. "From a far off land full of all kinds of wonders" She figured that was enough information, she didn't think that telling them she had gotten it by saving the life of a hookah smoking caterpillar would go over well. "You said they took the children?" she asked him while glaring at the Princess.

"Yes" Friar Tuck replied. "They said since I couldn't pay the taxes, he'd take the children"

Robin noticed that he kept slowly backing away from her. She sighed, he'd get over it. "We'll need to find a way into the castle" She said thinking out loud.

"I might know a way" Marion said to them. They all turned to look at her. "My father took the children so he could sell them as slaves." She continued after receiving horrified looks from the three of them. "My father will throw a ball, where he'll invite the richest in the land to attend. Then the next day he will sell the children to them. During the ball most of the castle will be distracted, he'll only leave a few guards with the children."

"When will the King throw this ball?" Robin asked her. She didn't want to leave the children locked in cells for very long.

"If I know my father, in a few days" she replied.

"Good, then that is when we rescue the children" she said looking at Little John.

"So what is the plan, then?" Marion asked.

Robin turned to look at the princess who probably thought it some grand adventure to be a part of heist, a heist to rescue orphaned children from a mad king. Although she had to admit she was impressed that she still held her head high after having to sleep outside on the ground and not have servants attending to her every need. But she was still naïve and unaccustomed to their way of life, especially in her pink frilly dress. She also figured she took after her mother because she looked nothing like her father. She was very beautiful and regal while he was rough and rotund. "It is better you do not know, Princess" she told her. She didn't know if she could trust her with everything. "It's better if your father asks, that you know very little"

-Storybrooke-

David stood in the room looking at his young nephew and his twin brother's paramour. He had never met James; their mother had given him up at birth. And from what he's heard from people that had met him, he wasn't that great of a guy. However he did have questions about him and she might be the only that one that could answer them. He sighed and walked quietly out of the room.

Snow smiled at him as she approached them. "How is he?" she asked concerned. This world was so different than the one they were from. They were his family but they had never met and it would be a lot scarier for a young boy that didn't know anyone.

"He's just sitting there by her bedside" David answered. He didn't know what to say him and judging by him not having any kind of reaction to him means he never met his father, which for now was a good thing since he didn't hate him. He was just stranger that his mother thought she knew.

Suddenly they heard a loud crash and Dr. Whale flew through the closed door of Rumpelstiltskin's room. Ruby ran over to him while the other's stared in shock at what had transpired.

Neal was telling Henry about one of his adventures in Neverland when they heard a crashing sound. They both took off running. They saw the doctor land on the other side of the hallway and hit the wall with a loud thud.

Neal handed the bag of food to Henry and ran into his father's room. He felt the others follow him in. Rumpelstiltskin stood there dusting off his clothes and limping to get his cane that was lying on one of the chairs. "Was that really necessary?" Neal asked him as he looked out the door and saw woman that ran to him, slowly helping stand up.

"You have not seen what that man has done" Rumpelstiltskin told his son. "I have"

"I meant was it necessary to throw him out of the room like that" Neal clarified for his father. His father still cared very little for anyone that didn't matter to him.

"I thought he was trying to kill me" Rumble said in tone trying to convey that he didn't know any better.

"He was trying to save you" Neal replied.

"How was I to know that" Rumble responded

Neal shook his head. "All these years and you haven't changed" Neal said to him and turned to walk out the door.

"Bae!" Rumpelstiltskin called out after him

Neal turned around to face him. "My father may have been a coward that couldn't turn people that bullied us into slugs or heal my injuries when I got hurt, but that man was kind and caring. That man was my father." He told him then looked at him disgusted "I don't even know what you are" he finished then walked out of the room.

"Bae" Rumble said hobbling out of the room after him. "Bae, please. How can I make things right" he all but begged. "Tell me what I need to do. I'll do anything to get you back"

Neal sighed; his father still didn't get it. It wasn't about doing anything for him, he needed to do something for someone else and not expect something in return. "What you need to do, Papa" He began. "Is show me you want to change, to be a better person." Neal looked around the hospital. "Save her" he said pointing to room with the comatose woman.

Tbc…


	5. Chapter 5

-Nottinghamshire-

Marion sighed as she sat in her throne. Her father was ever the multitasker, this Ball wasn't only for trading. He had invited three suitors for her to choose from to marry. None of them interested her. Prince Sebastian was the tall blond one that seemed more interested in talking about himself then he did to her, the second was a complete bore named Lord Julian and the third Lord Tristan she was afraid was a mute until he managed to squeak out a greeting.

She glanced around the room again until her eyes came to the grand staircase where a beautiful woman with auburn hair that fell in perfect ringlets slightly past her shoulders stood. Her dress was a rich emerald green that was a striking contrast against her pale skin. She also had on white gloves that went up to her elbows. The boys that were supposed to be her suitors didn't even hide the fact they were practically drooling as they gaped at her. She even saw that her father had inched forward from his throne to get a better look.

Marion looked at the woman again, there was something familiar about her, and she gasped when she recognized her. She had never seen her in anything but that ratty old hood and her face covered in dirt and blood. Marion had to smile, only she would be bold enough to show up in green.

She continued down the stairs as Marion heard her father whisper to one of his guards. She watched him walk briskly across the floor to meet Robin at the staircase. Robin leaned forward as the Knight said something to her. She held her hand out daintily and the Knight took it and walked her back towards them and presented her to the King.

"I do not believe I have seen you here before" her father said to her.

"I am Lady Jacqueline of Avalon" she introduced herself as and curtsied for him.

"I am not familiar with Avalon" The King said to her.

"It is a far off land, your Grace. And I'm afraid it's not much to hear off. I have traveled far to find a better place and I have heard this is the grandest Kingdom in all the land" she told him and curtsied again.

Marion was trying to hide her shock, not that she needed to no one was looking at her. It was amazing how much she could transform herself. She was nothing like the woman she met or the man that everyone thought she was. She had also never once looked her way; her eyes had stayed glued to the King's. And where did she even come up with these names? She had heard her talk about another land at the church. How many lands had she been too?

"You have heard correctly, my Lady" Her father said, not at all ashamed of his vanity. "Would you please do me the honor of a dance?"

"It is me who would be honored to dance with you, your majesty." she replied with a smile.

She watched as her father took her arm and walked onto the floor. Her father didn't even know he was being charmed by the very person whose head he wanted on a pike. She wanted to be able to see them as she moved around the dance floor. So she went up to Prince vapid and asked him for a dance, she figured he'd talk about himself so she wouldn't have to say anything.

A little while later the scholarly suitor cut in. She continued to dance with him as she lost sight of her father and Robin. She craned her head around and moved him around the dance floor looking for them. He resisted a little since the man was supposed to lead. But she got him to move with her. She finally spotted them walking up the staircase towards her father's bed chambers. She shivered in disgust at the thought of why there headed there. Was that her plan? Was she here to seduce her father?

She didn't know why that bothered her. It wasn't anything to her what Robin did. She was still upset that Robin didn't even bother to acknowledger her existence. She knew she was undercover, but still a quick glance in her direction would've sufficed.

Now she needed air so she dragged Lord of the bores with her outside to walk along the castle walls. He started talking about the stars and how they had names; she was only half paying attention while also trying to not think about what her father and Robin were doing. She walked over to a bench and sat down while he continued to talk.

She heard some rustling and whispering underneath them. She peered over the wall to see men in dark hoods emerge from a place inside the castle that she didn't know was there. They were followed by children. The orphans, so that was her plan. Distract the King while her men rescued the children.

She must've been staring to long because out of the corner of her eye she saw Lord Julian turn to try to look over the edge. "Let us take a walk" she said gently grabbing his arm and turning him away from the wall and walking him in the other direction.

She walked him back inside the castle and moaned softly and touched her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Princess?" he asked worried.

"Suddenly I am not feeling well. I think I shall go to my room and lay down" she told him.

"Should I notify your father?" he asked still looking at her with worry.

"No, I do want to disturb him. I just need to lie down for a little while. Please go back and enjoy the ball. I do not want to ruin it for you either" she told him, but he wasn't moving to leave, she needed to try another tactic. "Really, I am fine. Perhaps tomorrow I can show you the Library" She smiled to show him she was fine,

Now his face lit up. "I would like that very much, Maid Marion" he said and turned to go.

She hated it when people called her that, but she kept the smile plastered on her face until she couldn't hear his footsteps any longer. Then she sprinted off towards the place she saw them coming from. She wasn't quite sure where, she didn't even know there was an exit where they were.

She found them just as statue of a Knight slid across the floor hiding an entrance to a tunnel. She ran up and tried to stop it from closing but it was too heavy. How had they moved it or made it close? Marion studied the statue wondering what she should do. She slowly reached up and touched the sword he was holding pointed downwards in front of him. She grabbed the hilt and was surprised that it moved. She gripped it tighter and pulled. She jumped back as the statue began to move to the side revealing the tunnel. She walked inside carefully and saw there a Knight statue on this side as well. She pulled on the hilt of the sword again closing off the entrance once again. She then ran through the dimly lit tunnel until she saw the outside.

When she got there she saw Robin's green dress lying in the dirt. She looked up and saw them helping the children onto their horses. She ran up to Robin who was back in her green hood. "Who is Lady Jacqueline?" She asked her as she walked over to her horse.

Robin pulled the reins and turned her horse to look at her. "That is my real name, minus the Lady" she told her. "I was a farmer's daughter"

"And my father, did…you…?" she could barely get the question out without wanting to vomit.

Robin smiled at her. "No. I put something in his wine that helps him sleep. He'll wake up tomorrow remembering nothing"

Marion stared at her. "Another one your magic mushrooms from your land of wonders?"

"It is not my land, just one I've traveled too" she replied.

Marion looked away then back at Robin. "Take me with you" she all but begged.

"Our way of life is no place for a Princess" she told her.

"I cannot stay here, my father is forcing me to marry" she told her. "This is not the place for me either. I would rather go with you."

"You do not even know me" Robin told her. "I am not one you want to follow"

"Your men follow you" she told her.

"They follow me because I keep them well fed" she told her. Then she sighed. "I am here in your land because I am hiding from a very powerful being, a being that can kill an entire army with the snap of his fingers. So you do not want to associate with me, it's too dangerous"

-Storybrooke-

Rumpelstiltskin stared at his son, then looked in the room he was pointing towards. He hobbled over to the doorway and sucked in his breath slowly as he saw who was lying in the hospital bed. How had she survived?

"Do you know her?" Emma asked him as she walked up and stood next to him. "Did you do this to her?"

Rumbelstiltskin turned his head to look at Emma, and then he looked up at Bae. His son just stared at him. He slowly made his way to her bedside where a kid sat by her on the other side. "Take him out of here" he said through gritted teeth. That boy with his mop of brown hair should've been his; instead she managed to escape with him.

"You must've been a great father" Emma said to him and glanced sadly at Neal and walked over to the boy. Then Henry ran in front of her.

"I'm Henry" he told the boy and held out his hand.

"And I am Will" the boy replied staring at his outstretched hand.

"You put your arm out and grab my hand" Henry explained to him and reached out and grabbed his hand gently shaking it. "This is how we greet people here" the boy nodded. "Come on; let's go get something out of the vending machine"

"What is a...bending machine?" Will asked confused.

"No, vending machine. It's a…box with food in it…that you pay for." Henry told him and walked over to his mother with a smile. Emma reached in jacket, pulled out her wallet and handed Henry a few dollars. She watched them run out of the room.

He stood over her and stared at her. He could count on one hand the number people that managed to trick him. Even while she lie there dying she knew exactly what he was about. I guess that's why they say it's hard to con a con. She had also somehow managed to survive what he had done to her.

-Sherwood Forest-

She sat at the end of the table with her hood up drinking her ale, most of her men had gone home for the night there were only a few stragglers. They had another successful heist. The rich were slowly beginning to see what it was like to be poor.

The door of the tavern swung open and slammed against the wall. Robin shivered from the sudden draft. "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick" a tittering voice said as her heart started racing. She closed her eyes and slowly looked up through her hood to see the glimmering gold man standing at the other hand of her table.

"Can Jack jump over a candlestick. Hee hee" he said as the table caught fire.

Robin's chair clattered to the ground as she jumped back from the flames. She saw the remaining men make a move to defend her. "No!" She screamed. "Just leave" She told them. They looked at her with their weapons still in the air. "It's nothing; it's just a matter between me and him"

They moved towards the door and it slammed shut. She saw them pull on it and they couldn't open it. The imp tilted his head with a wide smile on his face.

"Let them go, your quarrel is with me, Rumbelstiltskin" she told him.

His brows furrowed. "You know my name?" then he shrugged, he supposed he was quite famous, just like she would be. Statues would be constructed in her name, only they would all think she was a he.

"Let them go, they owe you nothing" she replied.

"Clever girl" he said to her as he waved his hand in the air and the door opened. "I didn't pick up on that at first." Robin noticed the tittering imp voice was gone and he was talking in what she assumed was his real voice. "It took me a long time to find you and I'm not used to that. You are a lot more intelligent than I thought." "However" He held his finger up and waved it at her. "You broke our deal" he told her. "I do not like when people break deals with me"

"You can't have my son" Robin replied strongly.

"I do not want your son anymore, he'd be too old" Rumbelstiltskin responded. "I gave you your life back and now you must pay me back…" he told her grinning widely at her.

Robin lurched over in pain and fell to her knees. "…with your life" he said standing over her.

-StoryBrooke-

Rumbelstiltskin stood over, leaned on his cane with one hand and held the other over her. A blue light started in her chest and spread outward in her veins covering her head down to her feet. He brought his fingers together and the light was sucked back into his hand.

They all watched in silence as that happened. Then without warning, Robin leapt from the bed, swung her leg out and kicked Rumbelstiltskin's cane out from him and grabbed it in mid air. She pushed him up against the wall and twisted the metal part and pulled from it an intricately designed dagger and held it to his throat. "I figured you'd never keep this far from your person" she told him bitterly.

Tbc…


End file.
